Brooklyn's The Hold Steady may well be America's best bar band. Their 2006 release Boys and Girls In America made Austinist's 2006 top albums list (and everyone else's) by combining sharp lyrical wit, meat and potatoes power chords, and dry vocals that the listener either loves or hates. The group specializes in tales of that guy at the bar, those people you knew in high school, and the punks hanging out on the corner looking for trouble. The Hold Steady have toured Boys and Girls incessantly; Thursday's stop at La Zona Rosa is their third Austin appearance in a year. They roll into town next week on one of the jaunt's final stops before taking a holiday breather. Austinist spoke with The Hold Steady's co-founder and guitarist Tad Kubler last week about tour fatigue, loving your label, and Dripping Springs.

You've been touring this album nonstop for over a year. Are you exhausted? Is the band writing new material yet?

There are different levels of fatigue we're all dealing with. But it sure as hell beats nine to five work. [As far as writing,] we went into the studio I own (Wild Arctic) in Long Island City and did some demos before we left for this tour and have been playing some new songs almost every night. We're excited about starting the new record when we get home.

The lyrics on Boys and Girls In America are a bit like little vignettes from an epic novel about barflies and slackers. Does Craig Finn draw completely from fiction, or do you guys meet some of these characters while you're on tour?

There isn't a one to one relationship with reality. The stories aren't autobiographical. But there are moments when I'm in the control room listening to Craig do vocals and I'll think: "I remember that party!"

The Hold Steady evoke a strong sense of a time and place in life in many songs, which may explain many of the Springsteen comparisons that we (and everyone else) made about Boys and Girls... Do you personally have a band that you think does the evocative thing well?

The Drive-By Truckers and Lucero are two of the obvious ones.

Lots of artists love to complain about their record labels, but everything we've seen you say about Vagrant is awfully positive. What's the secret to a label keeping a band happy?

I think it has a lot to do with managing your expectations as a band. Because of our age, I think that it has helped us make decisions with integrity. Also, all being involved in different aspects of the industry outside of the band has been helpful in understanding what the role of a label is.

Did The Hold Steady choose Art Brut to open this tour? They've certainly got a stage presence and a unique sound.

Our manager presented the idea to us and it sounded like fun. It's been a good time.

Finally, you've been to Austin several times just on this tour. Have any interesting stories about your stops/nights out in our town?

Spending time at our friend's ranch in Dripping Springs comes to mind. The food is always great.